


Aiden & Katie

by sottovocexo



Category: Alexa & Katie (TV)
Genre: Aiden x Katie, Alexa x Spencer, Engagement, F/M, Falling In Love, Getting Back Together, Kaiden - Freeform, Katie x Aiden, Reunions, Spencer x Alexa
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 11:09:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28794444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sottovocexo/pseuds/sottovocexo
Summary: Scenes from Katie and Aiden's relationship through the years! Takes place after the series finale.
Relationships: Aiden/Katie Cooper (Alexa & Katie), Alexa Mendoza/Spencer, Katie Cooper & Alexa Mendoza
Comments: 8
Kudos: 33





	1. Reunited And...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Katie returns home from college on winter break, she reconnects with Aiden.

Katie stood outside the glass doors of Wired, hesitant to touch the handle, but remiss to walk away completely. She took deep breaths, not in a panic—in a bid to give her the strength to walk in.

She entered the shop and looked around, her eyes settling on the counter. Aiden wasn’t there. She let out the breath she’d been holding, disappointed he wasn’t around.

He’d been stocking shelves in the back when the door opened. As he walked to the counter and saw her standing there, he was stunned, like the sun hasn’t shined in Virginia for six months.

“You’re home,” he said.

“Aiden...” She stepped up to the counter. “It’s good to see you.”

He smiled, that same charming slant, the eyes that could see right through her. “ _So,_ the prodigal Katie returns,” he started, breaking the ice. “Your brother told me about your mom getting married. Congrats.”

“You’re talking to my brother?” she asked, curious.

“It may surprise you,” he teased, leaning closer to her across the countertop, “but I give very good advice.”

“Oh, yeah?” She couldn’t help but smile.

“Oh, yeah,” he continued. “About life, school, and _especially_ girls.” Then, he dropped the joking act and nodded at her. “He’s a good kid.”

Katie couldn’t help but drop her guard, drop all the walls she’d put in between them since she’d gotten into NYU. Her brow set, her lip trembling, she locked eyes with him. “Thank you...for being there for him. I know how much _I_ needed you there.”

He straightened up, got even more serious for a moment. “Why didn’t you call me?”

“Because...” She looked down and fidgeted, didn’t want to look him in the eyes. “Because if I did...this would happen. How I feel about you would come flooding back and...I can’t have that happen. Not while I’m hundreds miles away and trying to keep my grades up and...”

She glanced at him. He listened so patiently, looked at her sympathetically. He never butted in, never gave his two cents until she needed to hear it.

And so she was out of excuses. The real reason she didn’t call was because she was scared of how much he meant to her. If she called him, she wouldn’t be able to hide the fact that she loved him. _So_ much. And while there was so much distance between them, she couldn’t admit that.

Standing there, only a counter apart, she couldn’t put any distance between them. She was out of excuses not to try.

“My mom’s wedding is on Saturday,” she said quietly. “It might be a little harder to sneak in there than prom, so...do you want to come with me?”

“Katie Cooper, are you asking me to be your date?” he asked, smirking.

“Aiden whatever-your-last-name-is...” She looked up at him and smiled, glowing from the inside out. “Yes.”


	2. Almost Show Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alexa and Katie get ready together for Jennifer's wedding and talk about Aiden.

"I can't believe you invited Aiden to your mom's wedding!" Alexa squealed, poking Katie in the sides. They were in Katie's room finishing their hair and makeup for the day. Along with Lori, the girls were Jennifer's bridesmaids.

"Okay, sure, make fun," Katie said. "I just...saw him again and..." She sighed, the dreamiest look in her eyes. "I didn't want to go without him. I didn't want to do anything without him."

Alexa pointed at her dress. "Zip me up!" Katie zipped her into the light pink dress, so light it almost looked like ivory. "I'm happy for you." She spun around, facing Katie, her voice squeaking. "I know you really like Aiden."

Katie took a deep breath. "I think I love him."

Alexa's eyes widened. "Well, are you going to tell him? Tonight would be a pretty romantic time to do it!"

"I don't know..." Katie sat down at the vanity, tucking some final curls into her updo. "I'm scared."

"Of what?" Alexa pulled a spare chair up next to her. 

Katie winced. "Him not saying it back? Or him saying it back, and us still being long distance?"

Alexa took Katie's hands in hers. "Katie, love isn't like a test at school. There's no pass/fail. You already love someone. No matter what he says back, you hold that right here in your heart. That's a win." 

"You're right, Alexa. Ugh, I have so missed you these past few months. Life isn't the same without you in it every day."

Alexa smirked. "I know!" She hopped up and slipped her sparkly heels on. "Now, don't we have a wedding to get to?"


	3. The Wedding Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katie and Aiden attend her mom's wedding side by side and talk about their future.

Katie loved watching Joe spin her mom on the dance floor, the hem of her white gown twirling like a tulip.

“So, do you ever...think about this stuff?” Katie asked, waving at the dance floor, more than curious about what someone as carefree as Aiden thought about settling down. 

He looked at her, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips. “I didn’t.”

She blushed, her heart fluttering. 

“Listen, Katie, I—“

“Hey!” Alexa danced up to their table with Spencer. “Are you two hitting the dance floor or what?!”

Aiden held a hand out, a smirk on his face. “Well, we can’t disappoint our fans.”

On the dance floor, his arm around her waist and her eyes on his, Katie felt like she was right where she belonged.

“Tell me—does New York have dancing?” Aiden teased.

“Oh no, big misconception,” she joked. “It’s like Footloose up there.”

He threw his head back, laughing. Then, he pulled her closer. 

“I want to make this work,” he said firmly, no hint of jest in his voice. “I don’t want to let you go again.”

“What happened to not taking things too seriously?” she asked, her voice a whisper.

“I don’t think that applies when you’ve found someone you’re serious about." He kissed her in front of their friends and family. Katie felt at home.

Jennifer and Joe danced past the happy couple, who broke apart. “Don’t even think about trying to catch the bouquet,” Jennifer teased. “You are way too young.”

Katie looked at Aiden and laughed. She wouldn't even think about it; but, she was happy he was.


	4. You've Got News

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Four years later, Katie and Alexa are set to graduate from college. Aiden visits Katie in New York to tell her some big news, but Alexa might have something even more exciting to share.

Aiden drove up early on Friday to visit Katie in New York, just a week ahead of her graduation from NYU. She'd had a roster of romantic dates planned, from strolling through Central Park to visiting every museum they could to visiting her favorite cafe.

They took a seat at a table near the windows. Aiden glanced around the coffee shop suspiciously. "Wait a second, is this the cafe from _You've Got Mail_?"

Katie smirked. "Awww, you've been watching the list of rom-coms I gave you! You _liiiike_ me."

"Clearly. I should've seen this coming from a mile away."

"I thought it'd be romantic! It's the last time you're going to visit me as a college student! I can't believe I graduate next week."

"And I can't believe you already got your first gig on the Great White Way." Aiden held his coffee mug up for a toast to her role in the ensemble of Broadway's newest play. "Well, actually, I can believe it, because my girlfriend is pretty talented, if I do say so myself."

"Oh, you do, do you?" Katie smiled. "I've learned so much at Tisch, but I'm _so_ excited to get out in the real world. It kind of feels like I'm going to be acting for the first time."

Aiden looked at her and smiled, the corner of his mouth ticked up. "You're gonna do great."

The last time he'd told her that was four years ago, at the start of her New York journey—at the start of their journey together, as a couple. He knew it in his heart and believed it, that she'd do great with or without him.

But this time he was making a different decision. He didn't want her to go it alone.

"So, I actually have some news of my own..." Aiden started, clearing his throat.

"Oh, yeah?" Katie said, but her eyes were glued to her phone. "Sorry, I got a text from Alexa and—oh. My. _Gosh_!" She squealed so loud every customer in the cafe looked around. "Alexa and Spencer are ENGAGED!"

She held up her phone so Aiden could see—someone had captured the video on their phone of Spencer getting down on one knee.

"Alexa," he began, his voice shaky, as she covered her mouth with her hands. "We both know life is short. Too short. And when you find that special someone to spend it with, you don't to waste another minute." He pulled out a ring box. "Will you do me the honor of spending the rest of ours together?"

She gasped as people around them cheered. Lori's distinctive squeal could be heard in the background and so could Dave's loud clapping.

"It looks like her whole family's there," Katie said, her smile drooping into a frown. "I'm...sad that I'm not."

"Hey, hey," Aiden cooed, taking her hands in his. "Maybe Spencer didn't want you taking away his moment. If you were there, Alexa probably would've agreed to marry you instead."

Katie wiped a tear from her eye and laughed. "You're right. I guess I just feel...weird that I wasn't there for her. We're graduating college...Alexa is getting _married_!...and I'm so far away."

"Just because you're not in the room for every major moment of her life doesn't mean you're missing out," Aiden said.

"Yeah, I guess...." Katie put her phone away and refocused on Aiden. "Sorry to interrupt you! Wow. That was so unexpected. And so exciting!"

"A tough act to follow," he said, laughing. "I wanted to tell you...I got into grad school. It's a great art therapy program."

"You did!?" Katie shouted, jumping to her feet. "I don't know how much more good news I can take! Or...how much more I can miss out on."

"That's the thing," Aiden started. "I thought you'd say something like that. I'm going to grad school...here in New York. With you."

Katie's eyes widened. "You're...going to be here? In New York? With me!?"

"As if I was going to miss your show," he said, beaming.

Katie kissed him across the table in a scene even better than her favorite movie.

She wouldn't be there for every major moment in Alexa's life, no. But she was ecstatic that Aiden would be there for hers. And vice versa.


	5. Love Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two years later, Aiden has graduated from his art therapy program and is about to start his first official job.

Standing outside the closet, Katie helped Aiden with the knot on his tie. He looked so dapper in his dark gray suit, ready for his first day as the art therapist for the nearby public school.

"You are the cutest art therapist New York has ever seen," Katie said.

Aiden smirked, buttoning his jacket. "I am, aren't I?"

"Hey, wait, before you go...I have something for you." Katie reached for the top shelf in the closet, pulling down a small box.  
When Aiden opened it, he laughed upon seeing the colorful box of chalk.

"It all started with a chalkboard," Katie said, beaming, thinking of his doodles at Wired. She could see his potential then, and she was so proud to see him fulfilling his dream now.

Aiden looked down and smiled. "Thank you." 

"Those kids are lucky to have you. And I'm happy to share you." She leaned forward and kissed him. "See you later?"

\---

At the end of the afternoon, Aiden FaceTimed Katie while she was walking to rehearsal. Her new show opened in less than a week, and they were in full dress-rehearsal mode.

“Hey, how was your first day?” She stopped walking down the sidewalk and took a seat on a nearby stoop.

“I wanna show you something. Look what the kids helped me make.” 

Grinning, Aiden flipped the video screen so it faced the classroom’s chalkboard. There was a drawing on it so wide and colorful, it reminded Katie of Aiden’s drawings at Wired. But there was something more familiar about this landscape. 

As she peered closer, she saw the cookie and tall tree of canned goods on the far left-hand side, followed by an arrow pointing to a windmill and golf club, leading all the way to the vibrant Manhattan cityscape. 

Katie covered her mouth with one hand. “Is that my Christmas tree from the food drive?!”

“It's definitely just a food triangle, but a 7-year-old did help me draw it, so maybe it looks like a tree," Aiden teased.

“And the windmill from mini-golf?”

“The very one,” he said.

“And it’s New York City.” Tears sprang to Katie’s eyes. “What is this for?”

Aiden spun the camera back. “Well, at the end of the day, I wanted to do something special with the class. So, I told the kids to grab a piece of paper and draw their favorite story. And for me...that’s us. Our story is my favorite.”

Katie lowered her head and cried, hoping nobody from work passed her by. “Aiden...I love it. That’s amazing.”

“Hey, no tears,” he said. “Pretty sure your character doesn’t start crying till the final scene, so that’ll be hard for the makeup team to cover.”

Katie laughed. He could always bring her back from the tears, even if they were happy ones. She sniffled. “You’re right.”

“I just...wanted to say thank you, that’s all,” Aiden said seriously. “I wouldn’t be who I am today if I didn’t have you there. It didn't all start with Wired. It started with you.”

She could say the same for him. Katie looked up the street, only a couple blocks from her theater, from her dream. “I’m the lucky one that I get to be part of your story,” she said. “I love you.”

“Love you too,” Aiden said. “Go break a leg, kid.”

As Katie continued on her way to rehearsal, she had an extra spring in her step. She got to live out beautiful stories for a living, but theirs was her favorite too.


	6. Better Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Alexa's wedding to Spencer, Aiden takes Katie on a very special date to kick-start the rest of their lives together.

Aiden helped Katie out of the car. Her floor-length bridesmaid gown slipped onto the asphalt. She lifted the train, pouting at how the rose color was muddied by the road.

"Oh no," she moaned. "I loved this dress."

"And I love the way you look into it," Aiden said, holding onto her hand tight even as she was fully out of the car.

She looked up at him and smiled bright. He looked pretty dapper himself, clad in a James Bond-esque tux, even nicer than the one he'd worn at prom. She loved to see him standing at Spencer's side, the little family the four friends had formed.

"Thank you!" she said. "Man, tonight was so much fun. Alexa sure knows how to throw a party. I am _so_ happy for her!"

The wedding was a celebration of everyone in Alexa's life who'd made her stronger. The happy couple were surrounded by friends from high school, college, and the hospital. And, of course, Katie was maid of honor. It was the most touching tribute Katie could imagine.

She glanced around where they'd stopped. Aiden pulled over to the side of the road, but there was nothing in view. The night was dark and there were no lights brightening the way.

"Where are we going?" Katie asked.

"I told you, I want to show you something," he said.

"Can't we change first?" she said. "I'm only going to ruin this dress more."

He took in the sight of Katie in the blush gown, her golden-blonde hair pulled back in a chignon, her makeup done up like a Hollywood movie. "Definitely not," he said, smiling.

Holding her hand, he led her off the road and into a grassy field.

"I know it's been like five years, but I'm starting to question your idea of a good date," Katie said.

"Don't you know where we are?" he asked, pausing in the middle of the field.

"Google Maps doesn't know where we are. Even the space station _satellites_ don't know where we are!" she said with a laugh.

He got down on one knee. "It's the old mini-golf course. They bulldozed the place and never did anything with it. It might just be a field to anyone else, but to me it's the most important place in the world. This is where I was working when I really saw you."

Her jaw dropped. "What? Really?"

He grinned. "Katie Cooper, will you marry me?"

Before she could even answer, she pulled him into a kiss.

"That's not an answer!" he teased, breaking for air.

"Yes, yes, yes," she told him in between kisses. "I knew this place was magical!"

Aiden brought out the best in her. Sure, that wasn't exactly how it went down on the mini-golf course, but it was a glimpse at the other side of her only he could reveal. That she could have fun, let go of control, and release the anxieties inside her. So this was the most important place in her world, too, the place she opened up herself and truly saw her other half.

Now that Katie was beginning the next chapter in her life and Alexa was married, she wondered what this meant for their friendship. She realized that Aiden wasn't replacing Alexa's half--Alexa and Katie were two wholes of a half. 

Along the way, Alexa and Katie had met so many people who'd picked them up when they couldn't take it any longer. It had started with the two of them, sure--but it branched out into family, friends, and Spencer and Aiden. That was how Katie knew Aiden was The One. Since the very beginning, he's made everything so much better.

And now, they'd do this together.


	7. Work of Art

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katie finds an old sketchbook of Aiden's full of drawings of her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to Sparrow94! Thank you for reading this little story and sharing your amazing ideas, including the one for this chapter. I hope you like it! :)

Katie turned her nose up at the latte Aiden was brewing on their kitchen counter. “Those customers at Wired gave you the biggest ego. I thought I’d never look at a coffee again after Barry hired you.”

Aiden smirked. “Aren’t you lucky--you get to look at me every day _and_ you get to enjoy these amazing lattes whenever you want. But that mug is mine, so don’t even think about it.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” she teased, but she couldn’t hide her smile. He grinned as she walked away, headed into their room.

Boxes were scattered across the tiny Brooklyn apartment. They were getting ready to move into a bigger place now that they were engaged--one that actually had a guest room for Alexa (Aiden was relieved he wouldn’t be kicked out when Alexa came to town anymore).

She was rummaging through the closet, which had to hold both their clothes and Aiden’s art therapy supplies, when a box of notebooks toppled over.

“Oops!” she shouted.

Quickly, she started picking up the notebooks and putting them back in the box. One of them fell face down, and when she flipped it over, she found a sketch of her. Then another. And another.

“What is this…?” she whispered, taking in beautiful pencil portraits of her profile. “Aiden, I think I found one of your sketchbooks from art school! Weird, I don’t remember my hair being that short in college…”

He walked up and took a seat next to her. “That’s because they’re not from school. They’re from Wired.”

Brow furrowed, she glanced up at him. “What?”

His eyes lit up, his smile slanted. “Back when you thought I was just some annoying, but cute, barista. I couldn’t stop thinking about you. So I made these--on slow shifts, on lunch breaks, when you weren’t looking.”

“You liked me that much back then?” she asked, her stomach dropping with butterflies, even still.

“Hey, a beautiful girl like you...you made it pretty easy.” Aiden flipped to the next page. “Oh, here’s my favorite--you were complaining about one of the lattes I made because Susan liked it so much, and I committed that face to memory just so I could draw it later.” He laughed at how her nose scrunched, her eyes narrowed. “You made the cutest faces.” He looked over at her. “You still do.”

Her eyes welled up with tears. “I can’t believe this.”

He tore one of the photos out. “Heck, I should start selling some of these! I bet these would fetch a bunch on eBay--an autographed portrait of Broadway sensation Katie Cooper.”

She laughed and looked at the photo in his hand. She’d tried to ignore him at Wired. She'd tried so hard, because she liked him that much. When she'd catch him walking by, or see that big smile out of the corner of her eye, she’d try to push him from her mind. She couldn’t believe all that time, he wasn’t fighting his feelings. He didn’t only notice her--he was sketching her, thinking about her, feeling like that about her.

“I can’t wait to marry you,” Aiden said then, his eyes on hers.

She couldn’t wait for their next place, the next chapter, their wedding day. But even more than that, she was excited for every day after. They only had a few months to go, but years ahead in their life together.

“I can’t wait...to have that latte you were bragging about,” she teased, booping his nose and running into the kitchen before he could catch her.

“Whoa!” he yelled, dashing after her. “That’s playing dirty!”

She was at the counter, and he grabbed her by the waist.

“Thanks for the coffee,” she said, smiling innocently and taking a sip from the mug.

“You are…something else.” He laughed and spun her around, looking into her eyes, the warm brown eyes he'd memorized long ago in his drawings. “Do you remember that little work notebook of yours from Wired? The green one with all the notes. Yeah, I even made some sketches in it. And..I wrote you a letter in the back. But you never found it. Honestly, it was a little sappy, so it’s probably for the best.”

Her jaw dropped open. “You really did that?”

“I even still have it,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows and walking away.

“Hey, you do not get to hint at something as romantic as that and walk away!” she said, following him.

“Where am I going to go?” He laughed and looked around their tiny apartment. “This would be a lot more effective in our new place.”

“Well, do I get to see this alleged love letter?”

“If I give you the letter now, what’s my grand gesture supposed to be for our wedding vows?”

She smiled, her eyes twinkling at the thought, and burrowed into him. “I always knew you were cute.”

“And that right there… That was my favorite face to sketch.”

She held the mug close, her heart warmed by the coffee and his arms around her. Back at Wired, she would have rather ignored him than done something about it. If he hadn’t shown up at prom, she might never have told him how she felt.

To him, she was art, but he couldn’t leave her sealed as a pretty picture in his sketchbook. He couldn’t let her walk away. For that, she was glad every day.


End file.
